


Awkward

by dragon_temeraire



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Carrying, Fluff, Lacrosse, Lacrosse Player Derek, M/M, Minor Injuries, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 02:51:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12026568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragon_temeraire/pseuds/dragon_temeraire
Summary: What happens when two dudes have a crush on each other, but they’re both super awkward?





	Awkward

**Author's Note:**

> Why can’t I stop writing these silly high school AUs? Inspired by a prompt on [ this post](http://barbelzoa.tumblr.com/post/101702088065/shitty-high-school-aus-tho-cramming-until-3-in).

For once, Stiles is actually doing well.

He’s made it through Coach’s drills without tripping over his own feet—or anyone else’s—so he’s managed to look like he actually knows what he’s doing. And when they start practicing passes, Stiles makes several smooth, clean ones to Scott and Danny.

He might get a chance at first line after all.

Then everything goes wrong.

They’re doing a light skirmish without pads, so they can work on form and agility, and Stiles is doing his best to make a good impression. Somebody flings the ball his way when he’s still too far afield, and when he sprints to close the gap, his foot comes down _wrong_. His ankle twists with a sharp pain, his knee gives out an instant later, and then he’s suddenly hitting the ground.

He distantly hears the sound of Coach’s whistle, but he’s more focused on the throbbing pain in his leg. He sits up carefully, and finds Coach peering down at him.

“You’re gonna have to go to the nurse,” he says. Then he shouts, “Hale!” so abruptly that it makes Stiles startle.

“Yes, Coach?” Derek asks, jogging up.

“Help him to the nurse’s office, will ya?”

“Sure,” Derek says, and leans down to offer his hand to Stiles.

Stiles takes it, lets Derek haul him up while he awkwardly tries to keep his foot from touching the ground. Once he’s standing, Derek slings Stiles’ arm over his shoulder, and they slowly begin to walk away.

Wanting to distract himself from his own pathetic hobbling, Stiles risks a couple of glances at Derek. “Sorry Coach picked you to help me,” he says, because Derek doesn’t look at all happy to be here, with him.

“Its fine,” Derek says shortly.

Stiles’ ankle is really starting to ache and swell, which means he’s getting slower and slower. And he groans loudly when he sees the slope up to the school doors. He’d never paid it much mind before, but now it seems rather formidable.

“School’s going to be over by the time we get to the nurse’s office,” Derek says, frowning at him.

It’s not really an exaggeration—lacrosse practice is the last period of the day.

“Well, what do you want me to do?” Stiles huffs, irritated. “I can’t exactly walk faster.”

“Can I—” Derek starts, then looks away awkwardly. “Would you let me carry you?”

“You think you can really make it all the way there?” Stiles asks dubiously. Derek is strong, but he’s not sure he’s _that_ strong.

“Of course I can,” Derek says, with absolute certainty. “So, yes or no?”

“Yes,” Stiles decides, because why not?

He already has his arm around Derek’s shoulders, so all Derek has to do is lean down and scoop him up. He not only does it easily, but also carefully, making sure not to jostle Stiles’ leg too much. Then he sets off again, holding Stiles like he weighs nothing.

And while Stiles has been dreaming of being in Derek’s arms ever since he joined the lacrosse team, he certainly never expected it to happen like _this_.

He cautiously leans his head on Derek’s shoulder, because he might as well make the most of it. He feels weirdly good enfolded by Derek’s strong arms, and it gives him the sense that he’s protected. Safe.

He’s thrown out of his contented lull by Derek saying, “Pull the door open, okay?”

Stiles shifts in Derek’s grip, his hand sliding to the back of Derek’s neck as he leans forward and yanks on the handle. Derek kicks the door wider, then darts them both through.

Stiles has a moment to notice how soft Derek’s hair feels under his fingers before moving his hand back to Derek’s shoulder. He’d swear Derek makes a tiny disappointed sound when he does, but he knows it must be his imagination.

Then Derek is gently lowering him back down, and he realizes they’ve made it to the nurse’s office. Derek curls a hand around his elbow for support as he limps inside.

The nurse doesn’t have any other patients, so she sits him on the bed and starts working right away. Her pokes and prods are painful, but Stiles is too busy watching Derek turn and walk out the door to really notice.

_And why would he hang around?_ Stiles thinks. They barely know each other. And with as gossipy as the lacrosse team is, Derek has probably heard all about Stiles’ awkward crush on him.

The nurse thinks he just sprained his ankle, but recommends he go to the hospital and get it x-rayed just in case. Then she wraps it up, and makes him sit there with an ice pack on it for ten minutes. As the throbbing in his ankle slowly goes away, it makes it easier to think.

He doesn’t even know how he’s going to get _home_ , because he’s pretty sure he can’t drive safely like this. He’s probably going to have to call his dad for a ride, and he’ll be worried even when Stiles repeatedly tells him he’s okay.

The nurse finally lets him leave, and Stiles finds that his ankle _does_ feel better. He limps out into the hallway, then pulls up short in surprise. Derek is leaning against the wall, obviously waiting for him.

“Hey,” Derek says. “Can you walk now? We need to go back to the locker room.”

Stiles suddenly remembers that he’s still in his lacrosse uniform, and his stomach sinks with disappointment. Derek’s not waiting because he cares, he’s waiting because Coach doesn’t like players taking the jerseys home.

“Yeah,” Stiles says, trying to summon up a smile. “Let’s go.”

Derek steps closer, and Stiles hesitantly slings his arm over Derek’s shoulder. There’s an awkward silence as they make their way down the hall, and Stiles tries not to be too disheartened by the whole thing.

“Look, I—this is probably bad timing,” Derek says suddenly. “But I was going to ask you something today, after practice.”

Stiles waits, but Derek doesn’t elaborate. “What is it? Do you want help with your homework, or something?”

“No, I um,” Derek says, and instead of surly, he’s starting to look embarrassed. “I overheard you talking to Scott and saying, ‘I am so ready to go on a date! Anyone can ask me out, anytime,’ when you were standing in the middle of the hallway.”

“That was like two weeks ago,” Stiles says, raising his eyebrows. “And nobody actually took me up on that offer, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“It took me a while to work up the nerve,” Derek says, and brings them both to a halt. Before Stiles can ask what he’s talking about, he says in a rush, “Do you want to go on a date? With me?”

Stiles wants to laugh, because this is completely ridiculous—no way is lacrosse star Derek Hale asking _him_ out. But Derek looks so sincere (and nervous) that he decides not to joke or laugh it off. He gives Derek a tentative smile instead. “You sure? I’m not exactly in dating form, here,” he says, pointing down at his ankle.

“We can get takeout and watch a movie,” Derek says, smiling back. “How does that sound?”

“Well, are you going to drive me home in that sweet Camaro of yours first?” Stiles asks teasingly.

“If you want me to,” Derek says, looking pleased. 

Stiles grins, and leans in to kiss Derek on the cheek before hobbling toward the locker room door. “That sounds perfect,” he says.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come by and prompt me/talk to me [ on tumblr](http://dragon-temeraire.tumblr.com/).


End file.
